“…But I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” (Romans 16:19) NIV
The best way for me to share what this scripture means to me is to tell you how I’ve come to explain it to my son. He asked Jesus to come into his heart at 4 ½ years old and is currently 5. I’ve explained, when Jesus lives in us we know He is with us. God sees what we see and hears what we hear. Out of respect for Him, we wouldn’t want God to see things that are offensive to Him.
I find myself still making justifications for watching programs that contain material that is not pleasing to God. I tell myself that I’m gaining perspective, but when I am watching something I shouldn’t; I do know better. I believe that knowledge of it being wrong is discernment that comes from the Lord.
Each one of us has a different degree of sensitivity. Just as there are some of us that will fall into temptation more easily than others, we need to know where our stumbling areas are. Certainly some of us are driven to professions or have had to deal with things of a shocking and graphic nature. Not all of us are made for the same exposures as we are all given different gifts. I believe God wants to keep us as innocent as possible so that we don’t grow cold and indifferent to sin.
I noticed when I started purging items from my home that were unpleasing to God, I started to feel freed. I had that “well done child” feeling all over me. It’s interesting to see, as I’ve made changes in my life, how there is an increased sensitivity to things that are offensive to Him. Without these things in my life, I find it easier to be closer to God.
God isn’t trying to take away our fun. Just as those of us with children want to protect them from a world they don’t fully understand, our heavenly Father wants to do the same for us.